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Updated May 16, 2026 \u2014 9:50pm,first published 7:49pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Brisbane: North Queensland had two players sent to the sin-bin, including a controversial professional foul ruling against Reuben Cotter, but showed tremendous fight to spring a good old-fashioned Magic Round upset against the Sydney Roosters.<\/p>\n The Cowboys triumphed 18-12, but they had to do it the hard way, especially when Cotter was binned in the 55th minute for pinning Sam Walker against the upright after he had kicked the ball.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t reckon [it was a sin-bin], play it at real speed, I don\u2019t reckon I should have been sent off; a penalty, maybe, but definitely not the sin-bin,\u201d Cotter told Fox Sports after the game.<\/p>\n \u201cThe boys got on with the job, and that was the most pleasing thing to see.\u201d<\/p>\n The decision left commentators stumped, and the constant replays in slow motion made the tackle look much worse.<\/p>\n \u201cThey arrive at the same time [at the ball],\u201d Greg Alexander said on Fox Sports. \u201c[The sin-bin] was a step too far. The game isn\u2019t played in super slo-mo.\u201d<\/p>\n The Roosters wasted little time after the sin-binning with half Sam Walker throwing a lovely ball for Hugo Savala to score a minute later to get the Bondi club back to within six points.<\/p>\n But the Cowboys dug deep for a well-deserved win to make it seven victories from their last nine matches.<\/p>\n Cowboys coach Todd Payten, who remains off contract despite his club\u2019s strong start to the season, said he was proud of his team\u2019s effort.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s as good a win as I\u2019ve had as head coach at this club in six years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Payten said the match officials should not be viewing the footage in slow motion, when asked about the Cotter sin-binning.<\/p>\n \u201cI think if you slow it down like they do, it\u2019s very hard to come up with the right call,\u201d he said. \u201cI just ask them [officials] to watch it at normal speed. If you slow it down like you did, you\u2019ll find something wrong with it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Roosters were chasing a seventh straight win, and looked on their way when winger Cody Ramsey scored the first try, then Cowboy Matt Lodge was binned for a high shot on Lindsay Collins.<\/p>\n But the Roosters were off the pace, and not helped by the loss of winger Daniel Tupou in the opening minutes. Replacement winger Junior Pauga was hooked after a string of errors, including being trapped in-goal when he hoped a Cowboys kick would sail over the dead-ball line.<\/p>\n He was injected back into the action when Ramsey came from the field for a head injury assessment.<\/p>\n There was a lot of Origin hype around the Roosters leading into the clash, and a few of the leading contenders did not have their best nights.<\/p>\n NSW fullback hopeful James Tedesco had a few forgettable moments in the first half, while he put too much weight on a kick in the second half when his side was on the attack. Former Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans was fair without being great, while Maroons hopeful Walker improved the longer the game went, but was still down on his usual livewire self.<\/p>\n Cowboys half Jake Clifford who had also been talked about as a Maroons bolter outplayed his rivals.<\/p>\n The Roosters are genuine title contenders, but are guilty of clocking off in games, and producing mediocre performances like the one they dished up at Suncorp Stadium.<\/p>\n Tedesco did well to lodge a successful captain\u2019s challenge when he spotted Walker tackled without the ball as he tried to regather one of his own kicks right on half-time.<\/p>\n Related Article It gifted Cherry-Evans one attempt at a two-point field-goal, but he put it short.<\/p>\n After Ramsey\u2019s try, then Lodge\u2019s 10-minute timeout, the Cowboys started to find their rhythm.<\/p>\n The ever-improving Tom Chester and Reed Mahoney did well to smash Savala into touch when Tedesco went short to his makeshift winger.<\/p>\n A couple of minutes later, Braidon Burns dived over in the right corner. Burns made his Cowboys debut at Magic Round a couple of years ago when given a late call-up for the injured Kyle Feldt.<\/p>\n Another Tedesco error invited the Cowboys on the attack again, and they soon had a second with Scott Drinkwater in the perfect spot when Cherry-Evans and Rob Toia spilled a kick from Cows\u2019 debutant Liam Sutton.<\/p>\n Burns then had a second as the first upset at Magic Round was on the cards. In a cruel night for wingers, Burns failed to finish the game because of a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n Munster, Grant stand tall in error-fest<\/p>\n A long-range try featuring Queensland duo Harry Grant and Cameron Munster was one of the few highlights in what could only be described as an ugly, error-riddled contest against Parramatta.<\/p>\n The Storm won 34-8, but it was easily the most disappointing spectacle for the fans who bothered to hang around for the last game on Saturday.<\/p>\n Grant was at his scheming best out of dummy-half when he ran 30 metres before he passed to Munster, who then linked with fellow danger men Jahrome Hughes and Sua Fa\u2019alogo before they put Jack Howarth over for an entertaining four-pointer midway through the first half.<\/p>\n The second-best moment was Fa\u2019alogo streaking down field, then Munster passing for Grant to score under the posts.<\/p>\n Sadly, there was not much else to get excited about. Both teams struggled to hold on to the ball, pushed passes into touch, and did their best to convert the locals into Brisbane Lions\u2019 fans.<\/p>\n Storm prop Davvy Moale knocked the ball on with the first carry from the kick-off in the second half, then Parramatta\u2019s Brian Kelly dropped the ball the next set to blow any opportunity of scoring.<\/p>\n When Fa\u2019alogo made an error midway through the second half, Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy had seen enough and stormed to the back of the box, much to the amusement of the crowd.<\/p>\n News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Cowboy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/381c46ba35e4ff1786885d3a477f62515e1d4ac2.jpeg\")
Cowboy Reuben Cotter was not happy after being sin-binned in their clash with the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium. Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Roosters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/9add3d4661fb08575a5c818857bca69d0e9824a1.jpeg\")
Roosters fullback James Tedesco did not have a happy night against the Cowboys.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Nowhere](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/45d75b339def28687b935ade403621f6415a25a5.jpeg\")
Nowhere to go for Rooster Daly Cherry-Evans against the Cowboys.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Nathan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/7e3735d682112b6fecfebca6825956e9ee86a55c.jpeg\")
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